bobbins



gllttrh tatts sttnt @Hita /f Letters Patent No. 75,980, dated .Merch 24, 1868.

IMPROVED PROCESS 0F CLEANING WOOL, dac.

this tlgrhultttfcttet tu 'in tipa' ttttts patent mit mating artt at Stip simu.

TO ALL WHOM IT h'IA'Y-,CONCERNz I Be it knownthat I, LOUIS S. ROBBINS, of the city, county, and State of New yYorlI, have invented a new and improved Process for Preparing Wool previous to its manufacture into fabrics; and I do hereby declare that the following is `a full` clear, and exact description thereof, which'will enable those skilled in the art to use 'tl1e.same, special reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

Itis a well-known 'fact that wool, in its natural condition, contains or is pervaded by elementsofran alkaline and oily nature in combination, which form a glutinousor gummy substance on the fibre of the wool, which i lmust be remo-ved before the same is suitable for manufacturing purposes, and, also, that the wool requires to be l voiled afterit has been cleansed, and beforefit is manufactured.' 'lo remove the alkaline, oily, and gummy subl stances frorrrthe wool, and to oil it in a' suitable manner previous to its being manufactured, as Well as to soften and improve the'ibre of-the saine, is the object of the present invention, and this object isaccomplished thereby. i The method consists, first, in saturating the wool with the light vapors obtained from a distillation of potro. i leuni, naphtha, Aor other similar substances; and, secondly, in supplying oil yto thewool in the form of vapor, after it has been properly cleansed, and before it has been converted into fabric.

Many materials and processes have been employed to cleanse wool, and to prepare it for the manufacturer, but the best of these have only been partially successful, owing to the natureofthe materials employed andv the defective methods of their application.` One form of apparatus for using myimprovcd process is represented in the accompanying-plate A, in the drawing, represents a retort, made of vany desirable form andsize, in which petroleum, na'phtha, .or other oleaginous substances or compounds are placed, and subjected to the action of heat from any suitable y furnace. B represents the unan-hole, in the upper part of the retort, used in cleansing th'e still, and in changing its contents. Thisshould not be closed until the lighter acidulated vapors have passed 01T. C C, a pipe, communicating with retort a, at or near-the top, passing to and also communicating with chambers or 'receptacles D. E is a discharge-pipe, employed i'n drawing off theremaining contents after the operation is over. Heat being applied to retort al, which contains the petroleum, dto., as described, vapors are generated therein, tbe {irst or lightest of whichare allowed to escape through the man-ihole, after which, the man-hole being closed, the ,i vapors pass through the connecting-pipe C C into the chamber or chambers D,'containing the wool, dissolving the glutinous substances that pervade the same, sothat the subsequent washing removes them completely, leaving the fibre in a more perfect condition for manufacturing purposes than can be produced by any other process. When the operation has beenl continued as long asnecessary, the Wool may be removed from the chambers D, through the doors m in, when the chambers may again be filled with wool, and -so on as long as maybe desired. After the cleansing* process, the wool may be oiled for the manufacturers use by the same .general method or process already described` using in theretort such oleaginous compounds as are best adapted to the purpose.

From the foregoingdescription, it is apparent that the use of materials in the form of vapor, which operatc as a solvent of the gummy substances von the Wool,l aided by a degree oi heat which renders the ibremore pliable, and the substances used more subtile and penetrating, constituteV a process superior in its effects to the use'of, any and all substances in a liquid state; and also that saturatingtbe Wool with oleaginons vapors is a more'uniform, perfect, and economical method than any application of the same by mechanical means.

I'do not intend to limit myself to any particular forni of apparatus, as there are various'ways in'which the same results may be accomplished; but- What I do claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- The process herein describedvfor removing the alkaline, oily, and gummy substances from wool, bythe use of the light vapors obtained from petroleum, naphtha, and other similar substance-s or compounds, substantially as described. v l

Also, I claim the process of saturating wool, preparatory to its being manufactured, 4by the application ofolc-zaginous vapors, substantially as herein described.

.LOUIS S. ROBBINS.. i Witnesses l D. B. BIMAN, MAnsnALL ROBBINS, 

